3 players RCB can consider if Josh Hazlewood is ruled out of rest of IPL 2025 ft. William O'Rourke 

In what could come as a massive blow for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood is doubtful for the remainder of the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is slated to restart from May 17.

A shoulder niggle ruled out the pacer from RCB’s previous home game against the Chennai Super Kings and given the ICC World Test Championship starts from June 10, it is unlikely that Hazlewood will travel back to India for the remaining season.

He is currently the leading wicket-taker for RCB in the competition with 18 scalps to his name. Hazlewood has been at his very best in the tournament so far and has picked up wickets at any stage of the match. Be it with the new ball or old ball, Hazlewood has been at the top of his game, and his absence would be a massive blow for RCB.

If Hazlewood doesn't recover in time and misses the rest of the tournament, there are few options who can be named as his replacement. Here are three possible players RCB can consider if Hazlewood is ruled out of the rest of the IPL:

#3 Dilshan Madushanka

Dilshan Madushanka was the third-highest wicket-taker in the 2023 World Cup. Source: Getty

The Sri Lankan left-arm pacer could be one of the potential replacements for Hazlewood if the Australian is ruled out of the remainder of the IPL. Madushanka failed to attract a bidder during the IPL mega auction, and more importantly, he is also not part of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is also expected to resume later this week.

Madushanka is someone who swings the ball both ways with the new ball and was the third-highest wicket-taker during the 2023 ODI World Cup, bagging 21 wickets in nine matches. He has a tendency to leak runs in the death, but with not many options available, Madushanka could emerge as one of the frontrunners.

#2 Jason Behrendorff

Behrendorff could be a possible replacement option for Hazlewood. Source: Getty

Another left-arm pacer who could be a potential replacement candidate for Hazlewood is Jason Behrendorff, who has prior experience of playing in the league and knows the players inside out. He is also a top-quality new-ball bowler and displayed his exploits during the previous edition of the SA20.

A tall, fast bowler who loves hitting the deck, he could be a like-for-like replacement for Hazlewood. He generates seam movement off the pitch, and with saliva being used for this tournament, he might be able to bring reverse swing in play as well later in the innings. He has developed a few slower deliveries as well and could be a handy option for RCB.

#1 William O’Rourke

The lanky New Zealand speedster has made his mark in the game's longest format. He was also a handful for New Zealand during the Champions Trophy, where they finished as the runners-up. Just like Hazlewood, he loves hitting the deck consistently and troubles batters with his pace and bounce.

He has used his height effectively in his short career and has taken wickets of some big players, including Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. After an impressive Test debut against South Africa in February 2024, O'Rourke was fast-tracked into the white-ball teams as well. He has only played five T20Is so far, but a stint with RCB could do a world of good for the fast bowler.